Our Board Dan Ratelle, President Music Instructor, Mesa College A native San Diegan, Dan Ratelle earned a degree in Psychology at Santa Clara University, and then returned to San Diego to study Music, receiving his Master's Degree in Conducting and Early Music from San Diego State University. He was for eight years the  Associate Conductor of the San Diego Master Chorale, and delivered a number of the "Words On Music" presentations for San  Diego Symphony programs. Currently he teaches Music at Mesa College, conducts the New City Sinfonia (a community chamber  orchestra), directs the Choir of the First Unitarian Universalist Church, and directs Pacific Camerata, an early music choral ensemble which he founded. He has served on the Boards of the San Diego Early Music Society and the Unitarian Universalist Musicians  Network. His son Devin played trombone for two seasons with YAS. John Berger, MD, Past President Physician Dr. Berger specializes in Family Medicine and has been in practice in San Diego for over thirty years. A former president of the San Diego County Medical Society, Dr. Berger is also a long-time member of the Executives' Association of San Diego, which is a group that promotes business in San Diego. A strong believer in the many benefits derived from playing in musical ensembles, he has  worked hard to ensure the success of YAS, serving on the Board for over 8 years, including two terms as its President. Cory Homnick, Treasurer Cory M. Homnick is a partner with Homnick & Voris, CPAs, LLP, a firm located in La Mesa. He has been a California licensed CPA  since 1988, and he has helped business and individual clients become successful in all areas of accounting, tax compliance and  planning. A native San Diegan, Mr. Homnick graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Southern California  and received an MBA in Accounting from National University in San Diego. In addition to his accounting activities, Cory plays the  clarinet and saxophone with such groups as the San Diego Symphony and Opera, the San Diego Chamber Orchestra, the Classics for Kids Orchestra and the "Who-chestra" at the Old Globe Theater for their annual "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" production. He and his wife Angela have two sons, Jared and Brendan. In addition to serving several terms as YAS treasurer, he has also been a  member of the Point Loma Nazarene University Planned Giving Council. Alice Robison, Secretary Biomedical Scientist, PhD. After earning her PhD in biomedical sciences (pharmacology/toxicology) at the University of Texas, Houston, Dr. Robison worked as a faculty member and in various capacities in science-based companies, including a biological testing laboratory, an animal vaccine company, a small biotech company, a regulatory affairs consulting company, and currently, a full-service contract research  organization. Her daughter, Claire Cutting, played oboe and English horn with YAS for five years, under Founding Music Director  Louis Campiglia, earned a bachelor of music degree at UCSB, an MM at The Boston Conservatory and is now a student in  orchestral performance at Roosevelt University in Chicago. A YAS Board member for over 10 years, Dr. Robison provides much of  the Board's "institutional memory," and has also served two terms as Secretary. Leslie Campbell Leslie Campbell is a 1983 graduate, magna cum laude, from Brandeis University and received her MBA in Finance & Marketing in  1989 from The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Leslie has over 15 years' experience in management consulting and  has held various positions in corporate management, operations, and marketing. She has also served as an officer on the Board of the Fuerte PTA and the Mount Helix Park Foundation. She has served the Board for several years, and her business acumen and  her enthusiasm for YAS, in which her daughter plays violin, will serve her well in her new role leading the Fund-Raising Committee. Jack Clausen, MD, Retired Dr. Clausen recently retired after 33 years on the faculty at the UCSD School of Medicine and leadership roles in state and national professional societies. His long-standing belief in the importance of a broad spectrum of music education opportunities early in  childhood arose from his family’s chamber music sessions and parties at home and from playing in school orchestras starting at age eight through university orchestras at Stanford and Duke, and summer music camps. He plays chamber music regularly with friends in San Diego and enjoys summer chamber music workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Donna Eibert Crossman  Donna Crossman, a Coronado native, holds degrees in Environmental Design and Architecture and has had her own residential  design practice since 1983, completing hundreds projects throughout the greater San Diego area. Her son Blair began playing the  violin in the 2nd grade and has been with YAS since the third grade, starting with Con Brio before moving up to the advanced  orchestra. Blair has benefitted greatly from his YAS experience and she hopes to give back to this organization that has done so  much for him. Peter Psahoulias  Serving his first term as a Board Member, Peter was born in Illinois and then moved to Greece with his family at an early age. Upon  graduating from high school, he moved back to the United States, and attended UCSD, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in  Cognitive Science in 1991. Since 2003, he has been working as a software engineer for j2 Global™ Communications. As a child,  Peter fell in love with photography and has pursued that interest ever since. Though he does not play a musical instrument himself, he strives to capture the euphonious eloquence of the orchestra in his photography, and many of his photos appear on the SDYAS website. His daughter Jessica has been playing cello for 2 years with the Fiddle and Bow group, and has now moved to the  advanced Orchestra.   Kathia Schnepp  Born and raised in Mexico, Kathia then moved to the U.S., and obtained a BS degree from the College of Natural Resources at the  University of California at Berkeley in 1994, and an MBA in International Finance from the McLaren Business School at the  University of San Francisco in 1997. Her varied work experience includes sales and marketing roles in various industries such as  Food Service, High-Tech and Real Estate. She home schooled her three musically inclined children for several years and just  recently joined the YAS Board. With her analytical skills and strong financial academic background, Kathia hopes she will be able to assist YAS in increasing its local presence, ultimately exposing more of San Diego's youth to the benefits of playing with an  exceptional orchestra.   Linda Snyder  Linda Snyder graduated from the Boston Conservatory with a Bachelor of Music Education degree, teaching for several years in the Boston and New York City schools. After moving to L.A. in 1980, she changed direction and started a career in business, selling  computer systems to professionals in the medical and dental fields. In 1984 he moved to San Diego, where she began a real estate development company, and in 1986 joined Esh Construction as a partner in developing single- and multi-family homes. Linda is also an avocational thespian, appearing in several community plays and musicals in the San Diego area. Her daughter Stephanie is  starting her third year as a violinist in YAS. Linda has been a proud member of the YAS Board for the last two years, and is looking  forward to this exciting year. Xudong Wang  Xudong Wang was born in China and earned his BS degree in electrical engineering there in 1988. He came to the United States  in1999 and earned a Master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Florida in 2001. He then accepted a position as an engineer with Qualcomm, and moved with his family to San Diego. A steadfast supporter of music education at all levels, he has  been with the YAS Board for two years, and he hopes to contribute his technical skills and ideas to further the efforts of Young Artists Symphony. He is also a lover of many styles of music and has himself sung and played guitar. His son, Roy, has been with YAS for  four years, and is a violinist in the Intermediate Orchestra.   Larry Wong  Dr. Wong graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, and earned his M.D. degree from Baylor College of Medicine. He served as a faculty member in the Southwest Memorial Family Practice program, as well as a physician manager at the Kelsey- Seybold  Clinic in Houston. In 2004, he moved to North County and joined a private practice in Carlsbad. He started his violin playing at the  age of 5, performed with the Rochester Symphony in Minnesota while in high school, and played for the U.T. Symphony and other  ensembles in later years. He believes that the dedication and discipline necessary in music aid children in becoming responsible  adults, thus enriching society. He and his wife, Jean, a home-school mom, pharmacist, and pianist, have been actively serving in  music ministry in their church and local community. Their sons, Christopher (violist) and Jonathan (violinist), have been committed  members of YAS over the past 2 years. Guy Gonzales Financial Advisor Guy Gonzales is connected to the San Diego community in many ways. He is strongly involved with the San Diego East County  Chamber of Commerce on the Board of Directors, as an ambassador and as a Vice-Chair on the Business-Education committee. Mr. Gonzales has also been a volunteer with this chamber on the Gala and Golf Tournament Fundraising Committees. Each year he  volunteers for the San Diego Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society "Light the Night" Fundraiser and the Rady Children's  Hospital Trauma Care Fundraiser. Mr. Gonzales has been a Director with the El Cajon Rotary Club and a volunteer for the San  Diego Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Fundraising Committee, as well as the Teacher of the Year Award annual event. Since 1999 Mr. Gonzales has been a fully licensed Financial Advisor in San Diego. At Waddell and Reed, Financial Advisors.  He has achieved  many awards; most recently earning the 2010 Waddell and Reed Pacesetter Award (the first San Diego County Pacesetter awarded since 2005). He also earned the 2010 Waddell and Reed CIRCLE award (for production levels exceeded in 2010). Mr. Gonzales  was born and raised in San Diego. He attended Crawford Senior High School, continuing on to Grossmont College in El Cajon  California, then to San Diego State College. Guy brings a committed and positive outlook to all he does. Guy and his wife, Lynette,  have three children and reside in Rolando Hills, California. SDYAS    2011